Vehicle running gear



Feb. 6, 1940.

Filed Oct. 19, 1936 G. R. GOIN 2,189,204

v VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet J.

Jnventor P. o /1 BB Geo/7e G Feb. 6, 1940. e. R. GOIN VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1936 3nventor Patented Feb. 6, 1940 VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR George R. Groin Detroit, Mich., assignor to f poration of Michigan Peninsular MetalProducts Corporation, a cor- CApplica'tion October 19, 1936, Serial No. 106,391

e 4 Claims.

This invention relates tovehicle running gears and particularly trailer'running gears.

An object of the-invention is to adapt the mounting of a vehicle wheel to play vertically relative to a frame carried on such mounting, and to so install a leaf spring on the frame that it may largely absorb travelshocks and vibration without being subject to draftstresses, or attached to said mounting.

Another object is to journal a vehicle wheel on an arm pivoted on a frame for upand-downi play, to mount on the frame a spring opposing upward swinging of the arm, and .to interpose a snubber between the frame and arm.

A further object is to suitably provide for transmitting load stresses to the wheel mounting, in event of failure of the spring. f

These and various other objects' are attained by the construction hereinafter described and il-. lustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Fig. l is a perspective view of the vehicle frame, particularly showing the reinforced draw bar. l

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the, same, showing also the running gear.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken upon the line 33 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and particularly showing the running gear.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the king pin mounting, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig, 2. l

In these views, the reference character I designates the frame of a one-wheeled trailer, the wheel 2 of which is journaled on the rear end of an arm 3, extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivoted substantially at its forward end on the frame. Said arm is bifurcated, its furcations being integrally joined at the front end of the arm by a sleeve 4 pivoted on. an arbor 5 terminally carried by a pair of lugs 6 integrally depending from the frame. The arm is restricted by said lugs 'from appreciable movement transverse to the vehicle, but may swing freely up and down on the arbor. .The wheel is journaled between the furcations of the arm on a short axle l bridging the rear ends of said furcations and suitably clamped thereon.

Load stresses are transmitted from the frame to the wheel independently of the arm 3, other than its axle-engaging rear end., Thus above the furcations of the arm is disposed a pair of quarter elliptic leaf springs 8, their forward ends being rigidly clamped by U-bolts 9 to the bottom of the frame, and their relatively flexible rear ends resting freely on the corresponding ends of'the furcations. Said springs are preferably normally downwardly 'bowedand progressively increasedin flexibility as theyextend rearwardly, their forward'endsbeing spaced above the sleeve 4,

.From themid -portion of the sleeve 4, a lug I0 projects integrally forwardly and is recessed to i seat and retain a rubber bloc-k ll compressing the latter upwardlyagainst the frame between the forward ends ofthe springs 8.

Preferably a portion 12 of the frame is upwardly domed tohouse the upper portion of the 'wheel, and it is further preferred to rigidly extend a plurality of spaced arms l3 laterally, for

wardly, and rearwardly from the frame as supports for a trailer bodyinot shown).

A tubular draw bar I It extends .forwardly from the frame, in the central plane of.rotation of the wheel and is reinforced in its mid-portion by a cross bar l5, joining the front ends of the 1 two forward arms I3. From each end of said cross bar a pair of, brace, rods I6 extend forwardly divergently and one above the other to rigidly engage the top and bottom of a vertical sleeve I! mounted fast on the front end of the draw bar It. Thesleeve I! mounts a king pin I8, and has an opening I9 in its front face permitting any desired draft connection (not shown) to engage the king pin.

In, operation of the described running gear, the

springs 8 transmit load from the frame to the wheel without being subject to any draft stresses. The latter are taken care of by the arm ,3, which tive to the frame, while affording the wheel all i necessary vertical play with respect to the frame.

Avoidance of any shackle connection between the wheel and arm reduces cost, simplifies installation and transmits load from the spring to acndiof the arm.

the wheel without appreciable longitudinal thrust. No torsional strains are imposed on the leaf springs.

The extension of body-supporting arms laterally, forwardly and 'rearwardly from the domed central member, provides in a simple manner for securely attaching a body to the frame.

The rods l6 forma .truss structure strongly reinforcing thedraw. bar.

The invention is presented as including 'all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A vehicle running gear including a frame, an arm pivoted on the frame about-an axis transverse to the vehicle and extending rearwardly from such axis, a wheel journaled on the rear portion of such arm, withiiitss itransverse to the vehicle, a leaf spring rigidly mounted on the frame substantially above the forward portion .ofzithe .arm and}; having its rear..portion;freely .bearingdcwnwardly on the rearcpcrtion ofc the arm, ea resilient-snubber reacting between the .zframezandsaid arm; and a lugwseating such. snubher. and. projecting forwardly from the; pivoted ;2..In,- vehicle running gear,a framegan arm pi'voted on. the ira-me' to rock about an axis trans- JLYBISBMIO; the framenandncomprising: a rpair 10f furcations spaced transversely of and extending lengthwisezof the vehicle and amember rigidly connecting the. furcations'at :thepi-votal' endrof .theza-rm, a wheeltjournaledon and-betweerr the .furcations; with its"; axis; parallel :to: and-'remote from the first-mentioned axis, .a pair rofeleaf springs-transmitting f1oad.=.to-.the furcations at points-remote from the zfirstementionedaaxis,

. frame substantially above the forward portion of the arm and having its rear portion transmitting i loadrto the arm remotely from the first-mentioned axis, an upwardly recessed lug projecting from the arm, forwardly of the first-mentioned axis, and a block of cushioning material carried by said lug in the recess thereof, and normally itcompressed;betweenrithe frame and lug, said lug being materially shorter than the arm, whereby the block exercises its cushioning effect through aconsiderable deflection range of' the spring.

4. A vehicle running-gear comprising a frame, =:a"bifurcated% arm pivoted on .the frame about an axis; transverse-to the framaJits furcationsbeing spacedtransversely Of thevehicle and projecting .=length'wise.of..vthe vehicle "from said axis, awheel .journaledornanmbetween the furcations, with its .B,XiS; t-D&I3HB13 110.? and remote from; the first-mentioned axis, a pair of leaf springs' .transmitting a load-ato theffurcations at points thereofrrernote from.thefirst-mentioned axis, means forclamping.-said springsv upon and beneath the frame, .1 at :points:% approximately above the pivotal axis of said arm a lugs r-igidlyprojec-ting fromrthe "arm-rim.a.-.dir.ection ppposite to the furcations of .the ham 1,: and 1; aa snubber disposedbetween the springs andnnormal ly, compressed .upwarcllyby ;saidlug against'the frame.

, GEORGER. GOIN. 

